The 37-year-old, from Derby, was treating his wife to a romantic early Valentine's date when they saw the police pursuit.

He said: "I heard a shout: 'Stop! Police!' And immediately my military training just kicked in.

Mystery hero who tripped up police suspect while being chased by police revealed (Image: Kingston Police)

"I saw the policemen chasing a guy and I thought: 'he's a bit of a whippet, they'll never catch him'.

"So I reckoned I'd buy them a few seconds, and just stuck my leg out to trip him up.

"The guy fell and as the police grabbed him, they called back 'cheers, mate, thank you' and my wife and I just continued on our way and thought nothing more of it."

A bystander that helped police as they chased a suspected drug dealer in Kingston town centre on Saturday night has been thanked by police for his actions (Image: MOD Crown)

Police later tweeted: "Thank you to the member of public that recently helped @MPSGroveSNT during a foot chase! #TrippedUp #Legend."

Lance Sgt Lawson, serving with the Corps of Army Music, will perform at a special Commonwealth-themed Beating Retreat on Horse Guards Parade on June 8 and 9 and at the Queen’s Birthday Parade on June 11.

Since he told his colleagues at the barracks, they have been joking about putting 'trip hazard' signs up.

In CCTV footage the have-a-go hero, who is walking arm in arm with his wife, casually sticks out a leg as the man police are running after goes past him.

He lands on the ground in a heap in a doorway.

A bystander that helped police as they chased a suspected drug dealer in Kingston town centre on Saturday night has been thanked by police for his actions (Image: MOD Crown)

Police Constable Dexter-Beek swoops in on the man, who is now laying on the floor and arrest him as the have-a-go-hero, who has his hands in his pockets, looks on.

Chief Superintendent Glenn Tunstall, Kingston borough commander, said: "While we obviously do not encourage members of the public to intervene in such situations, especially as the level of threat from the individual is unknown to them, on this occasion, the bravery, courage and subtlety of Matthew’s intervention clearly helped us to detain this individual.

"I am also not surprised that when we consider the words bravery and courage that the individual that we have been looking for turns out to be a member of the military."

Minister for the Armed Forces, Penny Mordaunt, said: "I pay tribute to Matthew's actions in helping the police apprehend this suspect which underlines the standards and values the Armed Forces work to as well as their readiness to help keep us safe even when off-duty."